Sign in Join now, it's FREE! members of the Wellington County OPP were conducting a proactive 'Reduced Impaired Driving Everywhere" (RIDE) program on Scotland Street within the Town of Fergus when they initiated a traffic stop on a motor vehicle to determine sobriety As a result of the investigation, a 39-year-old of Fergus is charged under the Criminal Code with: A 90-day Administrative Driver's Licence Suspension (ADLS) and a seven-day vehicle impoundment was initiated as per statute The accused has since been released from police custody and is scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice - Guelph on May 13 If you have an urgent traffic complaint or if you suspect someone is driving while their ability to operate a motor vehicle is impaired by drugs or alcohol, please call 911 immediately. If you have a non-emergency traffic complaint, you may also call 1-888-310-1122 or www.opp.ca/reportacrime you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) You may be eligible for a reward from Crime Stoppers of up to $2,000 Your browser is too old. To use this website, please use Chrome or Firefox SubmittedMay 1, 2025 @ 9:00 amNews CENTRE WELLINGTON – Council officially endorsed the Downtown Fergus Illumination Grant Program on April 14 advancing a successful lighting initiative previously managed by the township’s community development division Originally funded by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) and Rural Tourism Organization Region 4 (RTO4) the initial phase of this initiative highlighted the architectural features of buildings in downtown Fergus the program will continue to support the economic revitalization and visual enhancement of the downtown core – up to $2,500 toward lighting equipment through the township’s Community Improvement Plan (CIP); and – up to $4,000 for professional installation “This initiative is an important step forward for our community,” said Mayor Shawn Watters in a press release “It’s not just about beautifying our space it’s about bringing our streets to life after hours and creating a vibrant welcoming atmosphere for everyone who lives here and everyone who visits “It’s a perfect fit with our Community Improvement Plan especially in driving forward our goals for façade and property upgrades.” first-served basis and is contingent on the availability of remaining funds For more information, visit centrewellington.ca/CIP 905 Gartshore Street, Fergus ON N1M 2W8. © All materials copyright Wellington Advertiser, 2006-2025. Photographs and text found here may not be used for any purpose whatsoever without express permission. If you need something, please ask. Your feedback is welcome. Please direct comments, questions or suggestions to editor@wellingtonadvertiser.com FERGUS – Costly renovations are coming soon to the Fergus Grand Theatre's second floor.  Centre Wellington council approved topping up the township's general capital reserve by just under $7,000 at a council meeting this week in order to qualify the Fergus Grand Theatre upstairs renovation project for a Canada Cultural Spaces Grant of $59,578.  Anticipated to cost approximately $119,000 total the township's manager of building and property said the budget top-up is required to qualify for the grant funding since the project's overall budget has increased by $13,816 since last year and the township has to commit 50 per cent of project funds.  council previously allocated $40,000 for the project from the 2024 capital budget with another $4,670 committed from the Fergus Grand Theatre volunteer group.  staff said the project is needed to transform the theatre's upstairs into a safe, usable space for performers staff and volunteers since the theatre's upstairs section currently has a technical booth an "unusable washroom" and a large office space often used as a performance dressing room.  Planned to take six months once the project is tendered staff said no service interruptions are anticipated although clients can't use the upstairs area during construction. Technicians will only have access to the booth Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday More Spotlight > More Spotlight > FERGUS – The Fergus Legion Ladies Auxiliary held its annual Spring Craft Show and Bazaar on April 26 SubmittedMay 1, 2025 @ 9:00 amArts & Entertainment, News FERGUS – The Elora Community Theatre brought the world-famous John’s Boys to the Fergus Grand Theatre on April 22 for two shows The Welsh male voice choir sang some Welsh songs but proved they have a broad repertoire that struck a chord with the audience Public health has sent out a warning about a measles exposure at a Fergus grocery store Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health said it's for anyone who was at the FreshCo on St Public health said if you were not fully vaccinated against measles you should monitor yourself for symptoms until the end of the day on Apr Keep an eye out for early symptoms like a fever red/watery eyes or small white spots inside your mouth You're advised to stay home if you think you may have the measles Joanne ShuttleworthApril 30, 2025 @ 1:52 pmNews FERGUS – There’s a warm place for Canada in the hearts of people in the Netherlands that goes back 80 years – back to 1945 when Canadian troops fought bitter battles and eventually freed the country from Nazi occupation It was the beginning of the end of the Second World War Canadian soldiers pushed back the occupying German forces in the Netherlands,” reads an entry on veterans.gc.ca “The First Canadian Army played a major role in the liberation of the Dutch people who had suffered terrible hunger and hardship under the increasingly desperate German occupiers “The First Canadian Army also played a leading role in opening Belgium and the Netherlands’ Scheldt estuary (tidal river) “Access to this port was essential to maintain supply lines to the Allied armies as they continued their push toward Germany to defeat Adolf Hitler’s forces and free Western Europe from four years of Nazi occupation which had begun in April 1940.” The website goes on to describe the battles the courage of the soldiers and the euphoria and gratitude of the Dutch people when their country was finally free is heading to the Netherlands to retrace his father’s footsteps Foster will walk the very same roads and pathways through Dutch towns and villages as the Canadian soldiers did as they liberated the Netherlands from Nazi occupation And he will speak about his “In Our Fathers’ Footsteps” pilgrimage on May 9 at a special Nederlandse Avond/Dutch Night evening on May 9 at the Legion “It’s a significant anniversary,” said Randy Graham “Bob’s father went back for the 40th anniversary and we held a special Dutch Night to celebrate and commemorate back then I know this will be an emotional trip for Bob.” The band at Emmanuel Christian High School will play at the reception and will also play the Canadian and Dutch national anthems Graham is excited to have young people attend the event “Part of our mandate is to make sure young people hear the stories and know where their freedom comes from.” people always say “we can’t allow this to happen again.” “But it happens over and over again,” he said “That’s why we have to keep this history fresh in the minds of young people.” Dutch Night is slated for May 9 at the Legion and is open to the public as well as Legion members It includes a roast beef dinner and a Dutch dessert by Made in Holland Tickets are $30 and are available at the Branch Club Room (open most afternoons) and can also be purchased online until May 4 at payments@ferguslegion.ca (indicate the event in the comments section) Graham said there are a couple of other significant anniversaries the Legion will be celebrating in May as well This is also the 80th anniversary of VE Day marking the end of the Second World War in Europe and the 90th anniversary of the Fergus branch Advertiser StaffApril 16, 2025 @ 3:51 pmNews FERGUS – Public health officials say shoppers could have been exposed to measles at the FreshCo in Fergus earlier this month “may have been exposed” to the virus on April 4 between 7:30 and 10:15pm “Anyone who is not fully vaccinated against measles and visited the location during the timeframe above should monitor for symptoms of measles until the end of day on April 25,” states an April 16 press release from Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health Officials say “early symptoms” include: “Notify your doctor or healthcare provider if symptoms appear,” the WDGPH release stated “If you think you may have measles stay home – do not go to work school or other places where people congregate “Call your health care [provider] … and let them know you think you have measles so that they can make sure they take appropriate precautions to limit the spread.” Public health officials issue measles exposure notices when they are unable to contact all individuals who may have been exposed at specific locations and timeframes For more information, contact a health care provider, visit wdgpublichealth.ca/measles or call 1-800-265-7293 ext The County of Wellington warned drivers to 'expect delays' as construction resumed this month on Wellington Road 18 – but many motorists say the wait times have been worse than anticipated we have gotten many complaints today,” county manager of roads Joe de Koning said Monday in an email response to an inquiry from EloraFergusToday “Feedback from the contractor was that there were some programming issues with the lights that have since been rectified,” he said The construction project involves resurfacing a portion of Wellington Road 18 northwest of Fergus a new roundabout at the 2nd Line intersection and new signal lights at the T-intersection with Wellington Road 29 work on the project was expected to resume April 7 and continue until the end of August with one lane of traffic available at all times utilizing temporary traffic control signals,” the website reads The use of an alternate route is recommended.” No alternative route is specified; however drivers took to social media to suggest alternatives Monday after experiencing “major delays.” “Was actually sitting there for over half an hour Turned around and went in the back way,” said a member of the Fergus Community News Facebook group another group member suggested taking Garafraxa Street out of town continuing on County Road 19 through Belwood where drivers can turn on County Road 26 to get back to 18 Not everyone can take an alternative route though Frank Reinink is the service manager at Ron’s Auto Service which is located on Wellington Road 18 between 2nd Line and Wellington Road 29 He said he heard from a client who complained it had taken more than an hour to get through the two temporarily signalized zones it’s not so bad,” Reinink said during the early afternoon Monday “But for a while it was backed up way down there,” he said Temporary traffic signals have been set up on all three sides of the County Road 29 intersection allowing vehicles to drive through the area in only one direction at a time Reinink said there are also signals around the 2nd Line intersection and part of the problem seemed to be the timing of signals in the two sections “Only four or five cars were getting through at a time,” he said describing one particularly angry motorist and he was saying some not so nice words,” Reinink said because it has the potential to impact the business which test drives cars before and after service “It’s definitely an inconvenience,” he said “If we have to deal with it like [it was] this morning De Koning said after being told the programming issue had been resolved he visited the area to check it out and experienced just a five-minute wait While there is currently no work happening on Wellington Road 18 at 29 de Koning said traffic on both roads needs to be controlled because of the work underway on Wellington Road 29 “If 18 was uncontrolled you could get people coming up 29 when the traffic from 29 is on green “The work on 29 should be completed this week eliminate some of the delays,” he said FERGUS– Folk singer Valdy appeared at the Fergus Grand Theatre on April 26 the last in the theatre’s Presenting Series Valdy’s Rock and Roll Song may have been his biggest but he showed he’s got staying power and delighted the audience with his talent and humour A 39-year-old of Centre Wellington Township is charged under the Criminal Code with the following: The accused was held in custody pending a bail hearing a 38-year-old of Fergus is charged under the Criminal Code with the following: The OPP will not release names to protect the identity of the victim(s) Victims of intimate partner violence and sexual assault are not alone. If you there are local resources listed below that are available to help: anywhere in the Province of Ontario at 1-888-310-1122 If you wish to remain anonymous you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) where you may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000.  FERGUS – The township is expanding its ongoing lighting efforts to more of Fergus's downtown core.  Approved at a Centre Wellington council meeting Monday afternoon, the Fergus Downtown Illumination Grant is a new funding stream intended to help downtown businesses on St invest in facade lighting and illuminate their properties.  Planning and development coordinator Caitlyn Turton said the program will continue the lighting program approved in December 2024 that highlighted the architectural features of buildings in downtown Fergus as a way to promote business activity after hours community beautification and overall economic growth Phase One of the project saw lighting installed this winter on The Vault Coffee and Espresso Bar Brodericks Clothing and an adjacent residential building.  "These efforts not only enhance the area's aesthetic appeal but they also promote after-hours business activity and contribute to the overall economic growth of the community," said Turton.  Offered through the township's Community Improvement Plan (CIP) the program will provide businesses with up to $2,500 towards lighting equipment businesses are also eligible for $4,000 in funding from previous grants for labour costs.  Staff said priority approval would be given to buildings with distinctive architectural elements or visually compelling characteristics that would "enhance the overall visual impact of the downtown area."  Jennifer Adams questioned why not open the program's catchment area to include more of the downtown Staff said the intent is to "fill in some of the gaps" left from Phase 1. If the St Andrew Street phase is considered successful staff said they may propose extending the grant to other areas of downtown Fergus.  FERGUS – After 16 years of success in Downtown Guelph a pottery painting and clay-building studio will be expanding a short distance away up Highway 6.  A store in Fergus is closer to home too for Play with Clay owners Nina Kapuscinska and Mario Gonsalves who are able to walk to their new location at 116 St with a planned opening later in February.  The husband and wife duo live in Fergus and Kapuscinska said in an interview in the Downtown Guelph location’s clay bar they always wanted to bring the studio to their home community and had the opportunity to lease a space downtown as the owner of Joanie’s was retiring and closing shop.  “We knew that Fergus desperately needed something for people to do,” Kapuscinska said “There’s not much for people to do when it comes to being creative or going out somewhere on a date or gathering unless you’re going out for drinks or dinner.” It was 18 years ago when the two were newly dating Kapuscinska took a pottery course and fell in love with it.  With Gonsalves’ background in business development he encouraged Kapuscinska to open Play with Clay and within a few months he quit his job due to its success “It just became its own entity from this little pottery studio referencing the later expansion in Downtown Guelph which includes the licensed clay bar area Play with Clay has grown to include a location in Cambridge and Hamilton Both are franchised and operated by others but Fergus will be owned and operated by Kapuscinska and Gonsalves “A lot of our customers here in Guelph come from Fergus all those surrounding areas,” she said the Fergus Play with Clay will offer pottery painting and clay building on a drop-in basis.  Kapuscinska said they’ll be approaching the pottery wheel differently offering it as an open studio to people who have wheel experience but don’t have one or a kiln at home to practice their art on.  “We wanted to be a space where people stay feel comfortable and do art for hours,” she said adding projects sometimes take multiple visits to do anyways “It is always a bit of a commitment working with clay but it’s such a rewarding thing to know that you made something from beginning to end from a lump of clay.” Kapuscinska never imagined a single pottery class would lead to this and credited the partnership with her husband as critical to their success “We’re always passionate about talking about our studio and improvements or incorporating new things,” she said “That shared passion with me and my husband it’s such a gift to work with your mate.” Kapuscinska recommended those interested to keep an eye on the Play with Clay Fergus social media page for an opening date announcement Wellington County OPP received a report of a possible impaired driver on St David Street North in Fergus. A short time later police located the vehicle and driver at an address in Fergus.  Police spoke with the driver and as a result of the investigation a 56-year-old of Arthur is charged under the Criminal Code with:  A 90-day Administrative Driver's Licence Suspension (ADLS) and a vehicle impoundment was initiated as per statute The accused is scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice - Guelph on May 6 Fergus is getting its own ribfest this summer “We’re going to have music going all three days,” said Collin McKinnon festival director of the new Fergus Ribfest as well as Meadows Music Festival “Our whole goal is people want to come to Ribfest because of the food but then they want to stay because of the music.” Fergus Ribfest is set to take place July 25 to July 27 at Centre Wellington Community Sportspex McKinnon said the event is organized by Farm League Presents an independent events company that is a spinoff of Cambridge-based Farm League Brewing who currently lives in Guelph and grew up in the Rockwood area said after his experience organizing Meadows fest over the past couple of years he wanted to bring an event to the same venue that was family-friendly and free for all to attend “It felt like a free admission ribfest with music was the right fit,” he said It will kick of on the Friday afternoon at 3 p.m “We’re in the process of booking bands right now,” he said Among the bands he is hoping to book is Tragically Hip tribute act Grace He said he’s aiming for a mix of touring bands and tribute acts as well as local musicians to include in the lineup The food offerings will also be a mix – not just ribs McKinnon has booked three big-rig ribbers to take part in the festival – Billy Bones and Camp 31 – and plans to combine them with a mix of food trucks offering everything from grilled cheese to ice cream “It’s not just barbecue; it’s going to be a little bit of everything,” he said McKinnon also plans to include a vendor market with local businesses selling their products and he’ll soon be looking for vendors interested in participating “We’ll have a vendor application form on our website,” McKinnon said People can also use the contact form on the website – fergusribfest.com – to reach out for more information “Our goal is to have a really awesome vendor market and local food,” said McKinnon the event will also include a classic car show something McKinnon said he’s been asked to organize in the past While it didn’t make as much sense to incorporate one into an event like Meadows he thinks it will be a good addition to an admission-free event in a good-sized venue like the Sportsplex grounds “It’s one of the best festival properties I’ve ever seen,” McKinnon said of the venue noting there will be lots of free parking available on site While he hasn’t locked in a beneficiary yet McKinnon also hopes to use the event to collect donations to a support a local charity “Just because it’s free doesn’t mean we can’t give back,” he said He has high hopes for the event becoming an annual festival that shows the local people they don’t have to leave Centre Wellington to have a good time “It think it’s going to be the most fun ribfest ever,” said McKinnon noting the plan is to grow the event over time I hope to make it one of the biggest ribfests in Ontario,” he said Being a politician comes with many challenges but it is also a career filled with a sense of purpose and opportunity the Speaker of the House of Commons told attendees during a recent public talk at Dalhousie The Honourable Greg Fergus, Speaker of the House of Commons and Member of Parliament for Hull—Aylmer, Quebec, visited campus on November 15 for a Fireside Chat organized by Dalhousie’s Office for Equity and Inclusion and the Black Opportunity Fund Fergus became the 38th and current Speaker of the House of Commons and the first Black Canadian to be elected to the role He is also the first Black Speaker of the House in any G7 country “My parents gave me the green light by being born in Canada,” said Fergus drew students from Dal and other local universities as well as high school and junior high students executive director of the Africville Museum with Dalhousie’s Vice-President of People and Culture Grace Jefferies-Aldridge and Chancellor Rustum Southwell providing welcome remarks on behalf of the university Representatives from the African Nova Scotia Justice Institute Buddy Daye Learning Institute and the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia were also in attendance Fergus served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister He co-founded and then co-chaired the Parliamentary Black Caucus for six years It started as a small group of elected officials and with Fergus’s leadership it expanded to include non-elected officials and staffers The caucus was the driving force behind the selection of Viola Desmond to be on the Canadian $10 note “I vowed to not give up and said we are not going back We are moving forward as there is a ton of work to do.” Fergus sees his legacy in the value of mentorship and advice to future leaders and is hopeful to see representation in the House of Commons that is reflective of the country’s demographics He closed out the event by chatting one-on-one with students “I want us to create opportunities so that the next generation won’t understand what we are talking about,” adds Fergus and it means we are making significant change.” Ontario’s newest Lotto Max multi-millionaire is still coming to terms with the fact that her weekend routine turned into a life-changing experience “Every Saturday I take my dog for a walk then drive to a little nearby store to fill up with gas and check my lottery tickets,” the retiree from southwestern Ontario explained “The first ticket I checked at the lottery terminal wasn’t a winner but the second one ‘blew up’ the machine and all I saw was ‘Big Winner!’ I spoke with an OLG representative who called the store When they told me exactly how much I’d won Elizabeth went to her car and immediately called her son to share the news and it took a few minutes for him to understand this was not a joke.” Elizabeth says her son and his wife jumped in their car and made their way to Fergus to be with her Elizabeth says the brain fog from her win started to lift a few days later That’s when she began assembling the right professionals to help navigate the next exciting phase of her life one of her biggest concerns was the security of her winning ticket. I realized this little slip of paper with Quick Pick numbers which I’d paid $6 for was now worth $40 million!” Once Elizabeth was declared the official winner of the $40 million Lotto Max jackpot by the OLG Prize Centre “I see myself as a steward of this money There’s so much good I can do with this windfall and I want to give back in a meaningful way I’ll work with the team I’ve gathered to identify and prioritize the causes and interests that are near and dear to me.” At the top of Elizabeth’s list is ensuring her son is well taken care of “You always want to give something wonderful to your child but I’m also comforted by the fact that he will inherit this legacy It’s important to know that this will go on.” When asked what she wants to do for herself Elizabeth says that exploring the world is at the top of her bucket list and that’s what I’ll get out of this win ‘I can actually do that now.’” In fact Elizabeth had already planned a trip to South Africa before winning the $40 million jackpot. Now she’s extending her visit to include a few more African countries and adding some special extras to the adventure as she settles into her new life as a multi-millionaire.    Elizabeth became very emotional when thinking about the reaction of those she shared the incredible news with “It’s been an extraordinarily moving experience for me and it’s very meaningful to me.” The winning ticket was purchased at Blinkhorn’s Corner Variety on St Advertiser StaffFebruary 21, 2025 @ 1:01 pmNews, Police FERGUS – A local man is facing charges after police seized about $85,000 in ecstasy and other property during a drug bust in Fergus this week Wellington County OPP officials say that “stemming from an extensive criminal investigation,” police pulled over a vehicle on the 5th Line in Guelph-Eramosa on Feb “The traffic stop resulted in one individual being taken into custody without incident,” police stated in a Feb “Police seized a quantity of suspected cocaine methamphetamine and other offence-related property.” 20 the OPP “executed a search warrant” on Argyll Street in Fergus “and seized a quantity of suspected methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and other offence-related property.” Police say the estimated street value of the drugs is $85,000 with other property valued at about $4,000 was arrested and charged with three counts of possession of a Schedule 1 substance for the purpose of trafficking He is to appear in Guelph court on March 18 Anyone with information can call 1-888-310-1122 Tip providers may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2000 CENTRE WELLINGTON – Township flags will be flying at half mast for a former Fergus mayor.  A press release from the Township of Centre Wellington announced the loss of Jim Gibbons "Jim's contributions to our community were immeasurable with decades of municipal service and tireless volunteer work that have left an indelible mark on Fergus and the greater Centre Wellington area," the release said Gibbons was also a successful business owner He was also known for his work in local fundraising and community building including being involved in the local Rotary Club.  The release said he played a pivotal role in initiatives like the construction of the Groves Community Hospital the Cataract Trail, the Grand River Conservation Authority and the Fergus Business Park finally came to fruition thanks to his persistence," said mayor Shawn Watters "His legacy will live on in the many projects he helped create and the lives he touched empowering others to take on leadership roles and his passion for this community was unmatched." Warning: This article contains details some may find upsetting and/or triggering Editor's note: A publication ban prevents the publication of any information that could potentially identify the complainant in this case The lawyer for a Fergus businessman at the centre of sexual assault allegations raised his doubts about the alleged victim’s testimony saying she doesn’t recall “many details” of the four incidents in question He also noted the lone complainant “has interest” from a financial point of view alluding to a $5 million lawsuit filed in conjunction with this case Both sides in the Robert O’Brien trial wrapped their cases Tuesday at provincial offences court in Guelph O’Brien is accused of four counts of sexual assault for incidents that allegedly took place between October 2021 and January 2023.  The day began with the cross-examination of the woman nearly five months after she began her testimony in the proceedings Several delays behind closed doors held up the trial In October, the woman told the court she didn’t think much of the four incidents as they came up a social event the two of them attended with others in January 2023 O’Brien is accused of touching the woman inappropriately under her clothing Defence attorney Brennan Smart questioned a number of details the woman provided back in October One such photo she agrees took place at an Elora bar at the tail end of a social gathering where she alleges O’Brien touched her inappropriately The photo was taken after the alleged touching took place “You were having a great time,” Smart said adding the complainant's best friend – who she claimed was there to “shelter” her until her ride showed up to take her home – wasn't there at all “You know it's true,” Smart put to the woman The woman argued she wasn't having a great time adding a photo “can be misleading.” to which she responded “because I was not happy “These pictures don't prove to me otherwise,” she said The other Crown witness was a man who was also part of that social gathering He was the owner of the phone playing a game in which he said both O’Brien and the woman were engaged in and paid attention to for some time The individual testified he saw O'Brien put his left arm over the woman's shoulder which he found “weird” but added he was unaware of the rapport between the two I didn’t see an issue,” he testified He remarked several times when asked that the atmosphere throughout was “pretty welcoming” and “upbeat.” He added he didn’t recall the woman’s friend being at the Elora bar that night either The only defence witness called was a friend of O’Brien’s The witness testified the woman offered to use his vehicle to drive him and others home after a night of drinking at a Halloween-themed event in October 2021.  A couple of points of his testimony conflicted with that of the accuser the witness said the woman dropped him off at home left him with his keys and vehicle and got picked up She said she dropped them off and the vehicle was parked elsewhere to be picked up the next day The other conflicting testimony is whether O’Brien who was also involved in the night of drinking while the woman said she “absolutely” drove him and his wife home As for whether O’Brien touched the woman’s buttocks Smart questioned the woman's motives altogether She responded she felt “far too embarrassed” to go to the police about the incidents so she went to a lawyer out of town to weigh her options Closing submissions are scheduled for Thursday FERGUS — Big changes are coming to the Fergus Grand Theatre as the township plans for the historic facility's future.  Approving the final operations and community impact report about the Fergus Grand Theatre's future (FGT) at a Centre Wellington council meeting Monday afternoon staff said the FGT will be working to create more community-focused programs improve its fiscal sustainability and address ongoing staffing gaps to increase the landmark's profitability and success over the next five years.  Previously discussed at a February council meeting this follows council direction from December 2023 asking staff to investigate the profitability of the FGT and ways to support its "continued growth" as it enters its second century.  the report has been reviewed by three advisory committees and was recently posted on Connect CW for public feedback for six weeks While input was received from the committees and the public staff said no changes were made because many of the comments received were proposed for implementation or already in place.   staff said the community "responded positively" to the proposals with a "strong enthusiasm" for expanding youth-centre programming and improving marketing to increase awareness of upcoming performances.  FERGUS – Some residents have joined forces to help protect three century-old maple trees slated for removal in their neighbourhood.  Kelsye Coulter said she was walking her dog Monday morning when she was shocked to see workers cutting down two century-old maple trees outside of 965 Gartshore St. the future location of Centre Wellington's new operations centre.  "It's kinda visceral when you see something like that those trees have been there for so long," said Coulter. "It feels like if they were to be sacrificed that you would have a ceremony around it or something."  In attempts to prevent the removal of three remaining maple trees Coulter called Toni Ellis from Neighbourwoods and Mayor Shawn Watters who said he went to the site after he "kept getting this phone call" from someone who seemed "pretty distressed." Watters said he was met with four or five people expressing concerns and the tree removals were stayed for safety reasons as trees shouldn't be removed when people are on-site Staff will provide an update on the removals in the next few days.  the tree removals are part of the pre-construction work for the new operations centre "All I really did was say let's take a pause to see if these trees are an issue or not and maybe the trees will stay," said Watters Watters said staff will evaluate if there are good reasons for the trees to come down as only trees conflicting with the development's footprint are to be removed 130 are slated to be removed for the new operations centre; 260 trees will be planted in their stead. Forty per cent of the trees slated for removal are classified as being in fair or poor condition.  "Sometimes when you do an overall site plan sometimes you can make these calls and say maybe we can salvage these trees,'" said Watters "So we'll see what happens in the next few days."  Ellis said she's "always concerned when trees are removed," anticipating the three maples are "at least 100 years old" based on their size.  "I gather that the township has made preserving trees on the site important sometimes there are times when small refinements to a plan can save some trees," said Ellis commending the mayor and Coun. Bronwynne Wilton for their prompt responses on Monday.  Calling the township's tree replacement plan "woefully insufficient," Ellis said it's important to advocate for preserving existing elder trees because they are established and adapted to the area not to mention they add "significant ecological and social value" to the community.  "When you consider the loss of a large tree canopy it would take several hundred saplings to replace one elder tree," said Ellis.  Coulter said while she appreciates the mayor's efforts to help, she'd like to see more consultation when tree removals are proposed in the hopes it will inspire an attitude that is "more responsible more effective and more sympathetic to the trees."  "It seems to me that there's nobody defending the trees," said Coulter "It's not like someone's coming and cutting them all down but we're not representing the trees properly."  Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program Joanne ShuttleworthMarch 10, 2025 @ 7:46 pmNews FERGUS – Three of five 100-year-old silver maple trees got a temporary reprieve on March 10 but by the time neighbours saw what was going on and called the township The trees in question are located 965 Gartshore St. the future site of the new Centre Wellington operations centre and removing trees is part of work being done to prepare the site for construction Carolyn Crozier said she got a call from a friend walking her dog on the rural road who saw the trees coming down “I called the township to see why it was happening,” Crozier said in a phone interview Mayor Shawn Watters met with Crozier and a small group at the site and was able to put a halt to the project “It’s been put on hold to see the issues around servicing,” Watters said in a phone interview Watters said there are 330 trees on the site in total; 200 will be preserved and 130 will be removed to make way for the building All that’s left of the two felled trees was this pile of logs two trees will be planted for each removed tree The trees were on the property and not the right of way and so the township did not have to post signage warning that the trees were coming down But he still asked staff to see if they have to come down at all Staff will take another look at the site plan and see if they can be saved noting there is an identified woodlot on the property that will be preserved “It’s nice the mayor came out,” Crozier said “They looked healthy and it sure is discouraging to see them come down.” “It’s really awful to see these big old trees come down,” she said “It seems there should have been a process where maintaining trees should have been a priority in the design “Maybe some weren’t in best of shape but that doesn’t mean they needed to be removed Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account The Outaouais ridings have been Liberal strongholds federally since 2015 — and on Monday they got even stronger Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience Hull-Aylmer’s Greg Fergus and Sophie Chatel of Pontiac-Kitigan Zibi capitalized on their experience as incumbents with a raft of targeted regional promises to voters • A new bridge over the Ottawa River in the East; • A tramway project between Hull and Ottawa; • More housing units including for Université du Québec students; • More tech jobs in the Outaouais; • More funding for seniors’ programs; • and formal legislation to protect Gatineau Park By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc The next issue of The Evening Citizen will soon be in your inbox Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. a cabinet minister under both Justin Trudeau and Mark Carney with 19.5 per cent going to Conservative challenger Kethlande Pierre “Unbelievable,” MacKinnon told the Citizen by phone extremely happy.” He said that “voters were extremely engaged” when he campaigned door-to-door perhaps moreso than in any election he could remember since the 1988 free-trade vote would be the eastern bridge over the Ottawa River With Gatineau’s population climbing rapidly moving people across the river has become “an extremely acute problem.” MacKinnon lived for 20 years in New Brunswick and married an Acadian A one-time public affairs consultant and former national director of the federal Liberal party MacKinnon made his first run for office in Gatineau in 2011 finishing third behind NDP candidate Françoise Boivin he left the second-place Conservative candidate in the dust MacKinnon was government whip and House leader He briefly considered running for the Liberal leadership after Justin Trudeau announced he was stepping down MacKinnon was named minister of the new Jobs and Families department by Carney MacKinnon was confident enough of his victory in this election to help stump for Liberals in other ridings: last week he was in Hamilton-Centre to support the local party candidate The other Gatineau candidates in Monday’s election: Conservative Kethlande Pierre; The Bloc Québécois’s Richard Nadeau; Daniel Simoncic for the NDP; Pierre Soublière Marxist-Leninist; and Mathieu Saint-Jean of the Peoples’ Party of Canada Greg Fergus shook off the scrapes he has had with opposition parties while he was Speaker of the House of Commons followed by Conservative Jill Declare with 16.8 per cent He captured the seat in the 2021 election with 52.5 per cent of the vote “is tackling the housing crisis in Hull–Aylmer.” He was parliamentary secretary to prime minister Justin Trudeau as well as to several other senior ministers He served on the Standing Committee on Finance and he is a founding member of the Parliamentary Black Caucus and Liberal Black Caucus both of which he co-chaired until April 2022 has been a Liberal stronghold since it was created in 1917 — except from the election of former PSAC leader Nycole Turmel in  2011 as part of the Jack Layton “Orange Wave.” Other candidates in the riding Monday included: Jill Declare Conservative (she placed a distant second); Pascale Matecki Bloc Québécois; Frédéric Morin-Paquette Green party candidate; Jean-Jacques Desgranges ran for the People’s Party of Canada; Alexandre Deschênes ran for the Marxist-Leninist party followed by Conservative Brian Nolan with 27.5 per cent Declare told the Citizen Monday night she was pleased not just that the Liberals would form the next federal government but that Quebec was also “holding strong” for the party is a riding “larger than Belgium … a microcosm of Canada” with a mix of English The amount of door-knocking done during the campaign will send her back to the House of Commons better informed and therefore with a stronger voice for the riding Her first local priority will be resurrecting a bill to give formal federal protection to Gatineau Park succeeding Liberal Will Amos and more than doubling the vote count of her nearest rival former head of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) tax treaty unit and the mother of twins he pointed out “It’s the first time an Algonquin Anishnaabe ever runs in this riding.” Whiteduck placed fourth behind Conservative Brian Nolan and Suzanne Proulx of the Bloc Québécois Please check back as we update results live transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy You can manage saved articles in your account The free event will give attendees access to hands-on demonstrations and resources that will help them navigate the transition between education and employment “This event is about building strong connections between those who train and those who aspire to build careers in the trades,” said Carl Gray CEO of the Trade Tracks nonprofit organization “With the increasing demand for skilled workers it is more important than ever to ensure that apprentices and tradespeople have access to the right resources and support.” Highlights of the Trade Tracks showcase include:  The showcase has been designed to connect employers and community stakeholders involved in training the next generation of skilled tradespeople This year’s showcase will take place on April 25 (10 a.m – 4 p.m.) and April 26 (10 a.m – 2 p.m.) at the Fairgrounds of the Centre Wellington Sports Complex in Fergus "The County of Wellington is proud to support the Trade Tracks Showcase as a critical initiative for our local economy," commented Councillor Jeff Duncan Chair of the County's Economic Development Committee "This event creates essential pathways for the youth in our communities to discover fulfilling well-paying careers while addressing critical workforce needs throughout the County." The Trade Tracks showcase is open to students and anyone interested in learning more about the skilled trades WELLINGTON COUNTY – Drivers around Wellington County will need to keep an eye on their speedometers as the county’s Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) camera pilot program goes live.  four of the seven planned cameras will be live according to a roads committee report.  The locations of the four cameras going online are: The report said these cameras have all been installed and tested The remaining three locations on Wellington Street South in Drayton Main Street North in Rockwood and Trafalgar Road in Hillsburgh still require approval from Hydro One to attach cameras to their poles This approval is expected shortly  and the cameras are planned to be operating as soon as possible Two involved individuals described as one female and one male entered and exited the store separately both filling shopping carts with product and grocery items The male walked out the front doors near the produce area with no attempt to pay The female placed the product into a rolling laundry hamper and walked out past the register area making no effort to purchase Both parties were observed walking to a white Ford SPE The total amount of stolen property is approximately $1,100 Any person with information regarding this incident should contact the Wellington County OPP at 1-888-310-1122 and reference occurrence number E250438001. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or submit a tip online at www.csgw.tips The intersection of Belsyde Avenue and Tower Street South were initial closed for several hours but re-opened at approximately 12:30 a.m.  The pedestrian is still at a trauma centre being assessed; Injuries still being reported to be life-threatening The investigation is still ongoing at this time Updates will be provided as they become available We are urging the public to come forward with any information in relation to this matter; including any dash camera footage through the area around the time of the collision Elizabeth Trafford of Fergus won the $40-million jackpot in the Dec The winning ticket was purchased at Blinkhorn’s Corner Variety on St A Fergus woman has won $40 million with the lottery announced Elizabeth Trafford as the jackpot winner of the Dec She cried tears of joy when she logged into her banking app and saw the amount in her account and it’s quite something,” she said in an OLG news release Trafford found out she was the winner at the store It’s her routine every Saturday to take her dog for a walk then drive to the nearby store to fill up on gas grab a newspaper and check her lottery tickets “The first ticket I checked at the lottery terminal wasn’t a winner and all I saw was ‘Big Winner!’ I spoke with an OLG representative who called the store When they told me exactly how much I’d won She then went to her car and called her son and it took a few minutes for him to understand this was not a joke,” she said Her son and his wife got into their car drove to Fergus to be with her The brain fog she felt lasted for several days she began contacting professionals to help her navigate what comes next She also became concerned about the ticket’s safety I realized this little slip of paper with quick pick numbers There’s so much good I can do with this windfall I’ll work with the team I’ve gathered to identify and prioritize the causes and interests that are near and dear to me,” she said She’ll also make sure her son is taken care of “You always want to give something wonderful to your child but I’m also comforted by the fact that he will inherit this legacy It’s important to know that this will go on,” she said She was already planning a trip to South Africa before winning the lottery and now she intends to extend her trip to visit a few other African countries as well “It’s been an extraordinarily moving experience for me The winning ticket was purchased at Blinkhorn’s Corner Variety on St Contact Metroland Staff at thenewsroom@metroland.com Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account thanks for joining us in the virtual RGM lounge today What was life like for you before you got into music Difficult question as I’ve been into music since I can remember I nagged my parents to get me a guitar when I was in single figures and eventually got a fake les paul which I used to play Wild Thing and Louie Louie ad infinitum then when I left school I went to work for a record company in London with hopes that I could meet the right people however I didn’t start to make a living from making music till I was in my 30’s when I took up full time busking and travelling around Europe in an old LDV convoy What’s the live music scene like in Daumazan Sur Arize/ The Ariège right now Well there’s quite a vibrant rootsy scene here the region we live in is very rural and Ariège is one of the least populated areas of France they get involved in community projects and collaborate a lot we run or are involved in running a couple of festivals and a small arts centre Despite the rurality and lack of population density it’s a very international community so we regularly jam with people from Chile in Nothing Concrete we have 7 members form 5 different nationalities Anyone we should be looking out for (bar you There are some really creative musical projects around here one of our favorites is the electrobrass band FÜLU It seems like being a social media curator has become added to the many jobs of a musician I’d be over the moon to wake up tomorrow and find the whole social media era was a bad dream divisive and is a powerful tool to increase inequality but on the other hand I’m trying to make a living and feed my family and everywhere you go you see people staring at screens so how else do you grab their attention It allows me to communicate and get my music infront of people I’m a musician and that’s what I do best it’s hard to accept that my music is only considered valid if I have this other unwanted skill that is the antithesis of what I believe in…  If I went with my gut instinct and avoided it though It makes me feel hypocritical and powerless How do you manage engagement on your socials We grit our teeth and try to keep up with any online interactions we have nurture them and turn them into meaningful relationships- if we can!  What’s your view on the Music industry today There are a lot of opportunities out there but you have to be much more than a good musician or songwriter these enormous superstars whose talent was trusted and nurtured (always to the benefit of some mogul or other There is so much talent out there and creativity it’s good that the playing field is perhaps more even Where do you feel you currently sit within the music industry looking in with one raised eyebrow and a curled lip Whats the biggest thing you have learned recently as you progress with your music try and try… Jimmy Cliff was right all along When I was selected to support the wonderful Joan Armatrading (one of my heroes since I was a kid) on a leg of her UK tour the audiences were fantastically welcoming and I learnt so much from Joan I must have played well over a thousand concerts and we have had quite a few Spinal Tap moments but one that really stands out was during the covid period We have had a lot of support and help from an association in a village called St Jean de Poutges and so we agreed to do a free gig for their members little realising that there was also a St Jean de Poudges but it’s a full 3 hours drive from the real destination completely deserted and drove around feeling lost and confused for a bit before we noticed our error We eventually arrived at the real St Jean de Poutges after most of the public were already seated no stage and tennis court markings all over the floor – we had to set up infront of the public our sound engineer was pretty stressed out so we played in this harsh gymnasium light but the police turned up and told them it was illegal to dance (being around the time of Covid) –  all a bit of a fiasco Tell us something about you / each member that you think people would be surprised about I feel like we’ve reached a point in history where if there’s anything that surprises you you haven’t been paying attention… Having said that and do all the admin for our band and business Sylvie: Runs a venue in the mountains that can only be accessed by foot Christophe: plays volleyball and dances salsa (together) Yes we do — it’s called The Imperfectionist slightly chaotic celebration of not having all the answers Ten songs that have a bit of everything in there from funky swing blues and whatever else wandered into the room I often hear people saying “I’m too much of a perfectionist” – and I think “well if it’s too much perhaps we can just accept that life is imperfect it’s our way of holding a mirror up to the world — the beauty We worked with New York producer Keith Witty who helped us capture our live energy and take it somewhere new The first single The Boats is out now — it’s about people on the move I was feeling pretty outraged by the “Stop the boats” nonsense all over the press and I wanted to say f**k you We’re ALL in those boats!  Anyway the full album is out on the 27th June on all streaming platforms but you can already preorder it and hear the first track via our Bandcamp plus you’ll be the first to get the full album when it’s out. meaningful and unafraid to take risks this one’s for you Well it started with building the recording studio with our bare hands we moved onto an old pig farm and basically tore down the old barn all except the timber frame and roof and rebuilt it with straw bale walls and lime plaster we had people turning up every day to lend a hand Then we put all the recoding gear and instruments in there accidentally burnt a wall of it down one cold morning stoking up the wood-burner too much and rebuilt it in 3 days in time for the next sessions all of our previous albums were produced by me so it was incredible to have an extra brain on the job guitar and bass in morning sessions then the saxes & clarinet in the afternoons so the meat of the recording was done fairly quickly percussion etc were all added in separate sessions I think we got everything down and mixes in around 17 studio days it definitely helped to tighten up our onstage sound too being fairly forensic (whilst allowing for some imperfections of course) What was the biggest learning curve in writing the new tunes it was a different flow when I was younger now I rely on my music to feed my family there’s a different psychological pressure to write added to a desire to keep evolving and not repeating myself – this tend to be counter-creative but when I’ve tried to hard I end up with songs that sound like I’ve tried too hard I try to find moments when I can switch off and just lose myself in ideas then the songs find their way through – they’re pretty resilient like that Would you change anything now it’s finished it would be miraculous to have created something I thought was perfect and I’d have had to change the title!  Being honest with myself I know I can sing better than I did on the album – you could go on improving things forever but I never like stuff that’s too perfect so I’m happy and still have stuff to aim for Is there anything else you would like to share with the world and if you want a better world PLEASE DON’T GIVE PHONES TO YOUR KIDS FOLLOW THE BAND HERE 🇫🇷 FOR MORE NEW MUSIC NEWS FROM FRANCE CHECK OUT RGM FRANCE 🇫🇷 People are invited to celebrate a Scottish tradition in downtown Fergus with Tartan Day on April 6 “Be transported back to Scotland with a full day of activities and listen to some live Celtic-style music,” reads a post on the Fergus BIA’s website It goes on to list a range of activities being offered throughout the day These include games and demonstrations by the Fergus Scottish Festival and Highland Games demonstrations by the Highland Rugby Club and a Play With Clay activity tent There will also be performances by the Blue Bonnet Lassies School of Highland Dance along the Riverwalk at 11:30 a.m will depart the Fergus Grand Theatre at 2 p.m.; Drop-in tarot readings and Celtic henna tattoos are available throughout the day at the Bookery; and Echoes Fergus is offering a gemstone bracelet make-and-take activity The Fergus Pipe Band and the Grand Celtic Pipe Band will be wandering around providing musical entertainment and there will also be live music at several downtown restaurants James Campbell plays at the Breadalbane from 1 to 3 p.m.; Poverty’s Arse is at the Goofie Newfie at 2 p.m.; Offside Sports Bar and Grill will host Adam and Andy at 2 p.m. and Jiggity James performs at the Brewhouse on the Grand at 4 p.m For the full list of activities and events, visit downtownfergus.com FERGUS — Donations continue to pour in as residents across Centre Wellington and Guelph remember the legacy of an outdoors-loving Fergus man who died last week.  A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family of Braden Carberry, a 49-year-old Fergus man who died after he was struck by a Guelph Transit bus on Wyndham St. in Guelph on Jan. 9.  In his obituary the family describes Carberry as an honest thoughtful and hardworking man whether he was at work Calling him a "cherished and respected" member of the City of Guelph Bylaw and Security Department for 13 years where he was a supervisor the fundraiser said Carberry also worked for the City of Toronto for 18 years and was a member of the King City Fire Department for six years in the past.  the family said they'll remember Carberry spending "countless hours" outside of work in the wilderness where his passion for the outdoors "always shone through" whether he was guiding or teaching.  we will remember and celebrate all the best Braden represented in life," said the family in the obituary "He will be deeply missed by the countless lives he touched and all who had the privilege of knowing him."  vice-president of the Municipal Law Enforcement Officers' Association of Ontario remembered Carberry's integrity and dedication to his job saying he was a "valued member" who contributed "significantly" to the community's safety "Braden's legacy of service and dedication will live on and we will honour his memory in all that we do," said Charlton we should be mindful of all the best Braden represented in life."  The family is asking for any donations in Carberry's name to be directed towards the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters and Ducks Unlimited Canada an organization dedicated to outdoor wetland conservation and other natural spaces Carberry "cherished." It appears the preferred location of a possible new Catholic high school in Fergus has changed The Township of Centre Wellington announced that the Wellington Catholic District School Board is no longer interested in purchasing surplus township land at Strathallan Park in north Fergus A township press release indicated this decision was a mutual agreement between WCDSB and the township Strathallan Park was declared surplus property by the Township of Centre Wellington in January the sale of the land was conditional on the approval from the Ministry of Education The long-term accommodation needs of WCDSB have changed since January and to accommodate increasing enrolment it “will be reassessing the accommodation requirements,” said the release from the township Preferred plans submitted to the province preferred a high school to be added to the current St Joseph Catholic Elementary School site at the location Attempts to get comment from the WCDSB were not successful and they declined to provide any more details Since WCDSB won’t “be pursuing any rezoning of the property which would have been a necessary precondition of any sale,” township staff will bring a report to council soon to recommend the land be deemed non-surplus,” said the release Joseph Catholic Elementary School is located. The Kindergarten to Grade 8 school had an addition approved back in 2022 by the province Construction for the eight classroom addition started in March and is supposed to open by December Capital priority requests were submitted to the ministry in the fall and this was the third time the request was made for a new high school in Fergus The board won’t know if any of its capital priority requests are approved by the ministry until winter or early spring Lupal pointed to the board’s update to the Long Term Accommodation Plan which shows enrolment projections “which can help to understand the decision to not move forward with this space.” The projected enrolment in Centre Wellington has exceeded the board’s original forecast and the municipal projects for Centre Wellington show significant growth in a moderate and long term At a public meeting in May community members heard about the proposal for the new high school to be at the site where the existing school and park is.  It was reported the school would be 68,000 sq a large sports field and 105 parking spots.  FERGUS — Township staff are hopeful moving parts of the Elora Cataract Trailway will better improve user experience and safety throughout downtown Fergus.  In a new report coming to Centre Wellington council next week staff are recommending the township apply to the federal Active Transportation Fund to help fund "a new alignment" for the Elora Cataract Trailway through Fergus.  the goal is to realign the existing trail through streets with "lower traffic volumes and gentle topography" while using existing controlled crossings at Victoria Terrace and Garafraxa Street Other proposed improvements include:  Staff said the proposed improvements will "support increased usage of the trail," enhance safety and encourage participation for users of "all ages and abilities" while the Beatty Line improvements will form an "active transportation hub" at "a key location" in the township.  "Although the township's Active Transportation and Mobility Plan is currently in process preliminary assessment of network alternatives suggests that the proposed improvements to the Elora Cataract Trailway through Fergus are a high priority and they will support the township's broader active transportation network," said staff the township would receive up to $390,000 in project funding and be responsible for $260,000 staff will report back with a plan to finance the remaining funds during the 2026 capital budget development process If funding is provided in the next four months staff said construction will likely proceed in 2026.  When shown to the Health Communities Advisory Committee earlier this month staff said members responded positively and were "generally supportive" of applying for the grant funding.  Township staff have also presented the improvements to the Elora Cataract Trailway Association who provided a support letter to be included with the grant application The woman allegedly sexually assaulted by a Fergus businessman multiple times "is not prepared to tell the truth," "is not a shrinking violet," gave some "vague" testimony and made things up as she goes Those were accusations made by defence lawyer Brennan Smart Thursday during closing arguments Thursday at Robert O’Brien’s trial in Guelph O’Brien has pleaded not guilty to four counts of sexual assault for incidents which allegedly occurred between October 2021 and January 2023 which include  touching the woman inappropriately One of the counts will likely be acquitted after Crown attorney Matthew Yassa made a request in front of a packed room of the woman’s family Many of those in attendance were wearing ribbons to show support for sexual assault survivors Smart said “there are significant credibility and reliability concerns” with the Crown’s evidence The Crown argues the lone complainant – whose testimony is at the heart of the evidence presented – was a  “nervous O'Brien did not take the stand in his defence Each of the two lawyers broke down the four incidents it’s alleged O’Brien touched the woman’s buttocks The woman told the court O’Brien “kind of ran into me with his shoulder into my side or my back and his hand kind of grazed my bum” in the parking lot of the establishment Smart said her evidence conflicts with his lone witness’ testimony which he called “compelling,” commenting on the individual’s standing in the community but has no recollection of any kind of interaction (in the parking lot),” Smart said adding the man also named other people getting a ride home by the woman He added there are inconsistencies with where the man’s vehicle was at the end of the night Smart said “these aren’t minor inconsistencies they aren’t excusable inconsistencies or incorrect testimony.” Smart said what the woman described does not “constitute a criminal offence Yassa argued the witness showed he “can be deceitful,” bringing up prior events that cannot be explained due to the publication ban.  Yassa added the witness was drinking on the night in question and was offered a ride because he was intoxicated it’s evident that (the man) is trying to protect his friend,” he said the woman thought it happened because of O’Brien’s level of intoxication The woman testified she heard a comment made to the defence witness by O’Brien moments later to the effect that Yassa said “it’s clear he knew he did something wrong.” The woman testified O’Brien came behind her while she was sitting and “kind of just placed his hand on my back,” and the hand “moved downwards” from the bottom of her back to her buttocks and she gave a shocked reaction to it Smart called the woman’s second allegation “vague,” adding the woman “can’t tell us anything,” including who was there at the time Yassa said the woman didn’t waver from her version of events amid cross-examination He said the elements of the offence were proven beyond a reasonable doubt This is the incident the Crown has asked for an acquittal on The woman testified O'Brien made comments toward her at an event that made her feel so uncomfortable she left shortly after Yassa admitted the Crown didn’t meet its onus on the count Smart said it is “impossible to accept (the woman’s) evidence,” where the woman alleges while at a social event She told the court O’Brien was “putting his hand up my shirt and under my bra” and later put his hand inside her pants and touched her bum and groin area while the two were playing a drinking game with a group of people “(The woman) says she froze when subjected to this groping by Rob O’Brien,” Smart said “That’s not what (the other Crown witness) saw.”  Smart said the man “saw a hand go around the waist but didn’t see anything else,” including where O’Brien’s hand was touching He added the witness said the woman and O’Brien were engaged in the drinking game the group was playing Smart said the woman painted a picture of someone who was shocked and traumatized and went to an Elora bar to wait for a ride home with her friend Smart says the best friend not being there “She wasn’t a shrinking violet cowering in a corner waiting for her ride to come,” he said “The pictures demonstrate this.” Smart said while the woman dismissed the pictures as “misleading,” Smart argued “pictures are very reliable “For her to try to say that is not her laughing or smiling just demonstrates the problem with her credibility,” he said “She’s not prepared to tell the truth.” Yassa admits there were some inconsistencies with the evidence but they “aren’t fatal” to the testimony “She testified the overpowering details whereas minor details she does not,” he said Yassa said Smart’s response “goes right to the heart of stereotyping the complainant of a sexual assault.” Filing a $5 million civil suit – which has not been resolved up to this point – Yassa said it doesn’t impact her credibility He added if the woman was just in it for the money which subjects her to a police investigation and prosecution out of her control it risks an acquittal “because of a higher standard of proof.” “(The woman) was touched by Robert O’Brien without her consent and violated her sexual integrity,” Yassa concluded Judgment on the case is scheduled for March 28 members of the Wellington County OPP CSCU conducted a traffic stop on a motor vehicle on 5th Line within Guelph-Eramosa Township - Wellington County stemming from an extensive criminal investigation The traffic stop resulted in one individual being taken into custody without incident Police seized a quantity of suspected cocaine methamphetamine and other offence-related property the Wellington County OPP CSCU executed a search warrant on Argyll Street within the Town of Fergus and seized a quantity of suspected methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) The estimated street value of the illicit drugs is approximately $85,000 and other property estimated value to be $4,000 has been arrested and charged under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) with the following: and has since been released and set to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice - Guelph on March 18 The Wellington OPP is requesting anyone with information to call 1-888-310-1122 call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2000 FERGUS – As the Indian population in Fergus grows Tanya Rishi noticed they usually go to Guelph Brampton or Waterloo to have authentic Indian food.  Perhaps they don’t need to do that anymore as the serial entrepreneur has officially opened the Masti Fergus Di food truck located at the Best Western Hotel plaza at 820 St “The meaning of Masti Fergus Di is basically having fun in Fergus,” Rishi said in an interview Rishi is a realtor by profession but also owns other businesses outside of Fergus and said she has more than 10 years of experience in the hospitality industry.  was born in India and came to Canada as a teenager She has lived in Fergus since 2017 and felt it was the right time to open up this business from what she heard from her Indian and non-Indian friends.  “I know a lot of people in Fergus who were requesting authentic food Indian food … and I used to bring that from Brampton because I know a lot of restaurants that used to serve good authentic Indian food,” she said.  “It’s hard to get stuff from the GTA and to get it over in Fergus So I was like why not bring something here?” The menu will consist of things such as bowls for lunch of various curry with rice or naan sandwiches and burgers all made “Indian style.” What separates authentic from inauthentic Indian cuisine is the spices “A lot of people don’t know which spices go in which curry you’ll see everything on our menu tastes different,” she said adding she’s been to Indian restaurants where different menu items all tasted similar I know what I can get in India so I’m bringing that same concept over here.” Rishi plans to start Masti Fergus Di with a food truck with an eye to open a brick-and-mortar location within a few years time.  The food truck has started with a soft opening on Friday with plans for a grand opening in around a week.  The truck is planned to be open from 11 a.m with orders in person and online and delivery through food delivery apps like Uber Eats or Skip the Dishes FERGUS — Ken Dardano never imagined his passion for rock collecting would turn into today's crystal empire when he launched his business Gneiss Guy Minerals and Fossils in the early 90s.  having taken him and his younger brother on business-turned-road trips to quarries when he was eight or nine years old.  my father would carry us up the ladder to the dump trucks and we'd collect rocks while my dad did business," said Dardano.  Dardano launched Gneiss Guy Minerals and Fossils selling self-collected crystals from Canada at shows with his brother for the first five years before they went international bringing back minerals in their suitcases.  I collected fossils and then the minerals were everywhere so I started collecting minerals and crystals," said Dardano "It just went kinda crazy from there." Gneiss Guy is the largest crystal wholesaler in Canada travelling to 15+ shows a year across North America in addition to operating its main warehouses on Gartshore Street in Fergus and another in Tuscan The company currently collects rocks and minerals in places like the Madagascar jungle the Sonoran Desert and India as well as in Canada Some customers even call him the 'Crystal King of Canada.'  "I always say it's a hobby that went crazy .. it feels like I'm Indiana Jones without the whip," said Dardano, who estimates he spends about 50 per cent of his time out of the country on digs.  Dardano said he has thousands if not a million crystals minerals and fossils currently in his collection an ancestor of the modern-day squid that comes from Morroco and is often found in a black or brown marble-like material.  Dardano's personal favourite find is the green apophyllite which he first discovered in a village well in India about 40 feet deep in a cavity called a vug where the crystals grow in the rock.  "So we set up a tripod with a bucket and we went down the village well .. it was one of my first times in India collecting and I kept thinking what if this caves in and they just find my feet peeking out of the rubble," said Dardano.  Dardano said approximately 10 per cent of his customers were people who believed in the spiritual properties of crystals: that number is now closer to 70 per cent.  They also sell a lot to museums like the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) Science North and the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa "I always get asked if I believe in the healing properties of crystals .. I always say maybe 20 years from now science will catch up and find there's a lot more to the minerals and crystals than we know," said Dardano using the discovery of Uranium in pitchblende as an example "I tell them to keep an open mind."  In Centre Wellington, Dardano said the Elora Gorge which was like the Great Barrier Reef 350 million years ago, is a nice spot for collecting minerals like calcites in quartz crystals and fossils like trilobites and giant bivalves a "super rare" type of giant clam that were believed to be "all picked off" in the 1800s by settlers but still can be found today if you're lucky.  "Spring is the best time for hunting because the frost brings them (the fossils) up," said Dardano sometimes you find them out in the open just on a ledge because the frost shifted them upwards as the snow melts."  Dardano said he's "always looking for something new" and is working on developing a site in Madagascar where a new type of yellow fluorite has been discovered Gneiss Guy is also planning on building a new warehouse in Peru and Montreal and is looking for a space in Europe.  the Gneiss Guy warehouse in Fergus will be open to the public for a week starting March 22 to March 29.  Sign In Subscribe Now Campbell River's Fergus Hall is returning to Nanaimo United "It feels great to be joining Nanaimo United again," Hall said "I'm excited to get back on the field with the guys and play in front of our great fans again." Nanaimo United plays in League1 British Columbia a semi-professional league sanctioned by Canada Soccer with Nanaimo United (then Harbourside FC) joining in its second year the team came in fourth place in the league qualifying for the playoffs for the first time TSS FC Rovers beat them 4-1 in the semi-finals.  the rebranding from Harbourside FC to Nanaimo United was announced Hall said he had two great highlights from last year.  "One of them is the celebrations after we beat TSS at home and clinched a playoff spot for the first time in club history It was an amazing moment to share with the team and our fans," he said "Another great memory from last season was securing the Reid Davidson Memorial Trophy after winning away in Kamloops Not only was it a great team win that demonstrated our character but we were super proud to win the trophy for Reid." Hall hopes to build on the team's successes last year believing the core group of guys returning to the squad can bring the team up in the standings.  His personal goals for the upcoming season are grounded in leading the team to success.  "I'm aiming to keep high standards every day in training and give my team the best opportunity I can to win every game we play." During the League1 British Columbia offseason Francis Xavier University X-Men in Nova Scotia which plays in the Atlantic University Sport in U Sports It was his last season with the team after a four-year career there "It was great to end my career there by winning the AUS conference title for the second year in a row," Hall said. "It's weird knowing that I won't be heading back there for pre-season at the end of summer this year but I'm very grateful for all of the experiences that I had and the people I met along the way." Hall said his career with the X-Men was full of learning and growth where he was challenged for game time and had a major injury.  He says that through hard work and dedication he was able to establish himself in the team.  "After this season with Nanaimo United finishes up in July I'm fulfilling a lifelong dream of travelling to Europe with my friend I plan on returning to the island and getting myself ready for the next Nanaimo United season I'm thinking about returning to school and using my last year of eligibility Dialogue and debate are integral to a free society and we welcome and encourage you to share your views on the issues of the day. We ask that you be respectful of others and their points of view, refrain from personal attacks and stay on topic. To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines FERGUS – A local toy and collectibles show is set to return for its second year.  Toys and Collectibles Show is coming back to the CW Sportsplex this Sunday from 9:30 a.m with a variety of unique and nostalgic toys A cash-only event; admission will cost $5 for adults and kids are free with an adult Food and beverages will be available at the Sportsplex concession stand and at some vendor booths during the show.  While dressing up and cosplay is permitted attendees are asked not to bring any toy guns or big accessories that could accidentally knock over any items at the vendor's booths.  The event is also running a food drive for the Centre Wellington Food Bank where every food donation will receive an additional ballot for the door prize draws throughout the day.  More information is available here.  OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney will lead a minority government after a very close general election race that left the Liberals just three seats shy of a majority Elections Canada showed the Liberals projected to win 169 ridings after flipping one riding in Quebec from the Bloc Québécois earlier in the day The Conservatives won 144 seats and will form the official Opposition again the NDP with seven projected seats and the Green Party with one seat The projected results landed nearly 24 hours after the first polls closed on Monday Elections Canada decided early Tuesday morning to pause the marathon counting of special ballots with a handful of ridings still too close to call Special ballots are cast by mail or at Elections Canada offices by voters who are away from their ridings during the election One of those outstanding seats was the Ottawa riding previously held by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre The Canadian Press decision desk now projects Liberal Bruce Fanjoy has won the seat the Liberals will again need help from other parties' MPs to pursue their agenda Carney pledged to unite a divided country in the face of ongoing tensions with the United States He promised to lead a government that represents all Canadians and said the country works when Canadians pull together "Let's put an end to the division and anger of the past," Carney said and my government will work for and with everyone." That promise will be put to the test quickly After an election fought largely over which leader could best handle U.S President Donald Trump and his threats against Canada's economy and sovereignty Trump's administration weighed in Tuesday to bring those concerns back to the forefront White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said the Canadian election "does not affect President Trump's plan to make Canada America's cherished 51st state." Carney and Trump have agreed to meet in person in the near future The PMO's account of a phone call Tuesday between the two leaders said Trump congratulated Carney on his election victory It added that the two agreed on the importance of Canada and the United States working together — as independent sovereign nations — for their mutual betterment Carney held his first phone call with Trump during the first week of the election campaign The two agreed then that they would immediately launch discussions on a new trade and security pact following the election Poilievre said during his concession speech that he would stay on as Conservative leader despite his party's loss He hushed some booing from the crowd when he congratulated Carney on his win we'll have plenty of opportunity to debate and disagree But tonight we come together as Canadians," Poilievre said "We have to learn the lessons of tonight so that we can have an even better result the next time." Poilievre's loss in Carleton after holding the riding for 21 years leaves him on the outside of the next Parliament The seat flipped following a concerted push by the Liberal party and Fanjoy to get out the vote in the Ottawa-area riding French President Emmanuel Macron said in a social media post on Tuesday that he spoke by phone with Carney to congratulate him and that they discussed joint projects between France and Canada as well as challenges ahead of the coming G7 meetings in June Former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper congratulated Carney and wished the next government "success as they navigate our country forward during these challenging times." "I also want to congratulate Pierre Poilievre and the Conservative Party of Canada on making significant gains and bringing an entire new generation of Canadians to the Conservative Party," he said who became a divisive figure for the Conservatives during the campaign also congratulated Carney and said he was ready to work with the new government He encouraged the prime minister to help accelerate natural resource development and other projects in the province Premier Scott Moe in Saskatchewan and Premier Danielle Smith in Alberta also congratulated Carney even as they expressed dissatisfaction with the election results “A large majority of Albertans are deeply frustrated that the same government that overtly attacked our provincial economy almost unabated for the past 10 years has been returned to government,” Smith said in a media statement I will not permit the status quo to continue," she said adding that Albertans would have the “opportunity to discuss the province’s future” in the weeks to come “sent a strong message by voting for change.” British Columbia Premier David Eby urged Carney to call the premiers together to get rid of trade barriers within Canada "It should be as easy for us to do business with Ontarians as it currently is to do business with people in Washington State," he told reporters Eby said it is also crucial to support industries affected by Trump's global trade war Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet said Tuesday he plans to speak with the other party leaders about "what we have in common." The last thing the people of Quebec want "is instability in the federal Parliament," he said at a press conference in Montreal Blanchet indicated any talk of Quebec sovereignty must take a back seat to dealing with the threat of Trump's tariffs through trade negotiations "I am absolutely certain that we must first in the federal Parliament deal with the negotiation," he said The Bloc Québécois is projected to lose 11 of the seats it held before the election but is set to retain its status as the third-largest party in the House of Commons cautioned New Democrats against propping up a Liberal minority as they did in the last Parliament that I would try that another time," he said NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh lost his Vancouver-area seat and announced he would be resigning as party leader once New Democrats select an interim replacement "We may lose sometimes and those losses hurt," Singh said fighting emotion as he stood beside his wife on a stage in Burnaby those that tell us that we can never dream of a better Canada At least a dozen New Democrat MPs lost their seats and preliminary results show it may be difficult for the NDP to maintain official party status which gives a party access to research funding and more opportunities to make queries during question period — With files from Jim Bronskill in Ottawa and Kelly Geraldine Malone in Washington This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 29 Check out Village Report - the news that matters most to Canada, updated throughout the day.  Or, subscribe to Village Report's free daily newsletter: a compilation of the news you need to know Subscribe The Ripley Wolves beat the Saugeen Shores Winterhawks 5-2, Sunday night in Port Elgin to punch their ticket to the finals and compete for the OEHL’s senior AA J.F. Paxton Trophy. They’ll meet the Minto 81’s in a best-of-seven final, with the winner moving on to compete for the Allan Cup. Minto edged out the Seaforth Centenaries in six games. This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Joanne ShuttleworthFebruary 27, 2025 @ 10:49 amNews CENTRE WELLINGTON – Tobogganing is back on at Foote Park and Southridge Park in Elora but there are still limitations at hills at Ferrier Park in Fergus Last month the township issued a notice it was closing tobogganing hills pending an inspection by staff and the township’s insurance provider manager of parks Lucas Rogerson explained that while Southridge and Foote parks are fairly safe He recommended allowing Foote and Southridge to remain open for the remainder of this season but to prohibit tobogganing at Ferrier Park Hazards at Ferrier include trees and concrete blocks marking a road allowance at the bottom of the hill There is also a hydro box and various benches along tobogganing routes There are two hills at Ferrier – one with more hazards than the other Three community-maintained outdoor skating rinks were also inspected: Bissell Park and Southridge Park in Elora and Highland Park in Fergus In every case – both hill and rink – signage and regular inspections are recommended Rogerson said what’s really needed is a formalized winter activities risk management program That is something staff will develop over the summer to have in place by October – well ahead of snow season That will give time for some community education as well Rogerson also noted there is only one staff person who takes care of the hills and rinks This winter there are 11 rinks in Elora and Fergus managed by volunteers Rogerson hoped council would authorize hiring another seasonal labourer to help with winter control until April this year and to resume in October and through next winter The cost would be $12,000 for this year and could be absorbed in operating costs The cost for a full season would be $29,000 to be discussed during 2026 budget deliberations Councillor Jennifer Adams hoped the less dangerous hill at Ferrier Park could remain open for the rest of this season and council eventually agreed Ferrier Park is the only tobogganing hill in Fergus “We want to make sure there is equitable access,” councillor Barb Evoy agreed Council also agreed to the seasonal hire and for staff to prepare the winter activities  risk management program This article was previously published on EloraFergusToday CENTRE WELLINGTON — Slower roads are ahead for several Centre Wellington neighbourhoods.  In an annual review of the township's speed limits approved at a Centre Wellington council meeting Monday evening staff have recommended temporarily implementing 40 km/hour speed limits in two Fergus neighbourhoods: the Storybrook and Beatty Hollow Subdivisions, and the Prince's Street and Albert Street West area.  This includes: Albert Street West staff said these neighbourhoods were selected because they're closely located to sensitive land uses like schools and parks the road configuration makes it "relatively simple" to implement the new speed limits and residents have shared several concerns regarding area speeds.  If the new speed limit yields positive results staff said a 40 km/h speed limit may be permanently implemented Additional speed mitigation measures will also be considered.  Elora Street and Garafraxa Street West will be lowered from 50 km/h to 40 km/h and Sideroad 6 North and Sideroad 10/Sideroad 15 will be lowered from 80 km/h to 60 km/h due to ongoing speeding concerns.  While speed limit reductions aren't coming to areas like Union St West and First Line speed mitigation measures like flexible bollards digital speed display signs and enhanced OPP enforcement will be implemented.  Speed reduction measures will also be implemented on roads near the St David Street reconstruction to mitigate cut-through traffic caused by Phase Two Barb Lustgarten-Evoy wanted to know why some problem roads didn't make it when they have "endless" speeding issues David Street construction.  She later questioned why staff went with 40 km/h instead of 30 km/h.  Calling 40 km/h "an important tipping point," manager of engineering Adam Gilmore said 40 or less has better outcomes for pedestrians struck by vehicles and staff will consider 30 km/h in the future.  Bronwynne Wilton asked for additional traffic calming measures in and around the St David reconstruction to help ease resident concerns about speeding specifically on detour routes, like Parkside Drive.  Gilmore said they've installed speed cushions on Parkside and they'll continue monitoring the areas to see if additional measures can be implemented. Anyone with concerns is encouraged to use the township's online report-it tool or call the St. David Street reconstruction team directly through Connect CW.  Jennifer Adams asked when Millburn Boulevard was studied saying residents feel the area has seen an increase in traffic from people trying to avoid the automated speed enforcement camera on Belsyde Ave.  Gilmore said they lowered the speed limit to 40 km/h and installed flexible bollards on Millburn last year which have lowered speeds along the road and are considered "effective."